Four men from La Poile have been charged in connection with a poaching operation that took place back in June.

Officers with the Port aux Basques office of the Department of Fisheries and Oceans used years of anonymous complaints and increased patrol of the area to conduct the operation. After finding nets that used a pulley system, officers set up a 48-hour surveillance which led to the apprehension of four individuals and the seizure of four illegal nets, an 18-foot boat with motor, 11 salmon and one trout. Two of the four charged were in Port aux Basques court on Oct. 9 both charged with two counts of breach of act and/or regulations. A third man charged with the same two counts did not appear and was re-summoned. The fourth man charged with only one count of breach of act and/or regulations had the matter heard but was away working at the time of court. All four men had the matter set over to Dec. 11 at 10 a.m. to allow time to review the disclosures on the case.